Green Room

Now Multiple IG-Gate InvestigationsUPDATE:Grassley Eyes ‘RAT Board’

Those familiar with the investigations (and yes, that noun is plural) caution against personalizing or politicizing the situation. These sources are especially concerned that inquiries by Republican members of Congress should not be portrayed as a partisan “gotcha” game against the popular new president. . . .

Expect the IG situation at Amtrak to make news in the near future, and investigations continue into the ousting of the IGs at AmeriCorps and International Trade Commission, but there’s another IG story I’m watching closely:

Neil Barofsky is “SIGTARP,” the special investigator general whose job is to keep an eye on disbursement from the Troubled Assets Relief Program, the $3 trillion financial bailout that was rushed through Congress in October. Last week, Grassley sent a stern letter to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, asking about “a dispute over certain Treasury documents that were being withheld from SIGTARP auditors on a specious claim of attorney-client privilege.”
At stake in the TARP case — as in the cases of the IGs at Amtrak, AmeriCorps and the ITC — is whether the inspectors generals will remain vigilant watchdogs on behalf of taxpayers or become compliant lapdogs, allowing Obama’s political appointees to do as they wish without fear of independent scrutiny.
Given the controversial nature of the TARP — including the public outcry over bonuses paid to top employees of insurance giant AIG, a bailout beneficiary — Grassley is by no means the only member of Congress interested in preserving Barofsky’s independence. In April, Geithner was grilled by Texas Republican Rep. Jeb Hensarling and other members of Congress at a hearing after Barofsky reported a “staggering” amount of fraud in the bailout program.
Hensarling is one of the staunchest critics of TARP and, as ABC News reported last week, the Texan sent a letter to Elizabeth Warren, chairwoman of the congressional panel charged with overseeing the bailout, warning that Treasury’s actions were a “threat to [Barofksy’s] independence.” . . .

One of the many things that concerns me about this story is that were it not for people like Stacy, Malkin, York and other diligent bloggers, it would likely be swept under the rug. There’s just so much else to talk about! Mark Sanford! Everyone loves a good sex scandal! An Argentina love affair with titillating emails! Sex sells, and that’s what will be all over the news today.

“I kind of get the impression that there’s kind of a crusade early on in this administration to, how would you say it, short circuit inspectors general,” Grassley said earlier this week during an interview.
Staffers for the Iowa Republican are seeking information into at least five alleged incidents of interference with inspectors general at Amtrak, the Corporation, the International Trade Commission, the Library of Congress and with the special inspector general for the Treasury Department’s Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP). . . .
In addition to the five inquiries, Grassley is also concerned with the establishment of the Recovery Act Transparency and Accountability (RAT) Board, the panel tasked with overseeing the distribution and use of economic stimulus dollars . . . an obscure part of its authorizing legislation . . . requires inspectors general seeking information on potential waste, fraud or abuse of economic stimulus dollars to clear such investigations with the board.
“I mean it’s irritating,” Grassley said, raising his voice, “for a president that ran on transparency and accountability. He ought to be encouraging all this stuff, not being seen as an impediment.”

Grassley’s not going to let go of this issue — the watchdog bulldog, as it were.

Blowback

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However, Limey Geek, I promise that if IG-Gate turns into a serious enough scandal that I get a lucrative book deal and a Hollywood contract to turn it into major motion picture, I will insist that the Eldie Acheson character be played by Salma Hayek. Me, I’ll be played by Brad Pitt.

If Bob Woodward gets Robert Redford, I think I deserve at least Brad Pitt.

KEEP DIGGING!! This could be the story/issue we conservatives need to cling to mercilessly, like a terrier on a rat’s ass.

Walpin gave this country 52 years of honorable service, for what? Now we need to turn this injustice against these fine IG’s to our favor and take down the ogabe “ponzi nest.” I see indictments – Go McCain GO!!

KEEP DIGGING!! This could be the story/issue we conservatives need to cling to mercilessly, like a terrier on a rat’s ass.

I’m digging as hard as I can, but the problem is that there are many REPUBLICAN members of Congress who are ignoring this story. Whether your senators or representatives are R or D, people need to be calling their members and asking them to pay attention to what Grassley is doing. Waste, fraud and abuse ought to be an issue of bipartisan concern, and if the IGs are muzzled, there will be no safeguards.

I’ve come to believe that Washington, DC is really just a good ol’ boys club. Doesn’t matter whether they’re R or D; once you’re in the club you’re home free. Screw the nation. Screw the Constitution. Screw everything you dang well please, ’cause your days of following the rules are over.

Thing is, by getting rid of the IG’s Obama is telegraphing his plans. What we’ve seen to now is chicken feed compared to what he’s planning. We talked about the country going commie before the election but it’s still enough to knock you over when you see the train wreck in progress with nobody willing to even try to stop it.